The Quickie Helium
No, not that one… well not straight away anyway!! 🙂 😉
After the Doctors appointment early Wednesday morning, many phone calls followed in how to go about getting a wheelchair for mobility. And in a short few hours, a lot of new information and opportunities did arise!
While Keith took the ‘Very Urgent Letter’ that the Dr wrote for the specialist, into the secretary yesterday, I got to making some calls. Firstly I emailed a few places that I found online, firstly Assist Ireland, and through that site, this Link in particular, I found out how to go about getting a wheelchair through the HSE or otherwise.
I had to firstly ring my local health center and explain my situation. They put me through to their trusted Occupational therapist who will come to my house next Friday (13th) and asses me and my house for what I may currently need to help mobility.
She was very good on the phone, listened carefully as I told my story, was very sympathetic, took rough weight and height measurements so that she can bring an ‘out of the box’ chair to me next week just so I can get out of this office chair and have a tiny bit of freedom to leave the house if I need to. I am currently confined to the upstairs and cabin fever is setting in, real quick!!
Also, MMS medical in Cork returned my email about a beautiful Quickey Revolution wheelchair I had spotted on the assist ireland page and I got a buzz from a lovely guy called Rory who gave me lots of info and mentioned the Quickey Helium to me as the lightest wheelchair, it is beautiful but I bet way out of the price range. They will give me an assessment for that and some other chairs next Monday week and between them, the HSE and my VHI it is looking like for a small amount I have to pay first, then I should be covered for a fully customed chair to fit my exact needs which is really really cool if it works out. They come in lots of colourdy colours which if I must have a wheelchair at least I can speck it out and make it look funky! 😀
So for the moment, that’s the story. Next Friday is my first assessment and my first chair just to get me going. Then there will be assessments for a customed chair going forward if I even need to go that far and if I can successfully do it between the HSE and the VHI, now that Keith handed the updated urgent letter straight to the relevant secretary, she said she would pass it on immediately so hopefully, just hopefully I will be called and get some proper treatment towards the EDS soon.
Lets take bets on how long that will take, shall we?? 😉
Before I go I want to thank Leigh Gath, Author of the great book “Don’t Tell Me I Cant”, and friend of mine, for all the info and help she has offered, you have been amazing!!
There are loads of others who have helped me with information, some peeps over on the EDS Awareness Ireland page, ye all know who ye are, and ye rock!
…and I will forever thank Keith, Thank you, I love you, you are the most patient man on the planet! ♥♥♥
Irish Dysautonomia Awareness 